I was wondering how many days off other daycare providers generally took during the year? I generally don't take off many days, mine are usually a friday here and there or a monday, then spring break I would take off either wednesday thursday and friday, or just thursday friday and all the families I've had they know this since they've been with me for at least 4 + years. This year we decided to take a trip so we are going to take off a week in may, plus my normal 4-5 fridays off in the summer, do you guys think this is too much? I never usually do week vacations, just a day here and there. Thanks I don't want to upset any of my parents but then again it's not like I do this all the time.

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I totally think it is fine & would not think anything of it. It doesn't sound like you take much time off . Do you make parents pay for your vacation time? That would be a factor for me. Also make sure you give the parents several weeks notice. The family I care for does not use me in the summer (teacher's family) but I still take a few days off during the school year, especially over my kids' spring break & several days off over Christmas.

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I take off about 10 days per year...sometimes 1 or 2 more. I don't charge for vacation and its in my contract so everyone is aware. As long as you let people know as far in advance as possible I can't imagine anyone having a problem with it.

Have fun!!

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I think that would be fine. Just be sure to let the parents know the dates in advance so there isnt any cofusion.

I take 2 weeks per year (10 days) unpaid plus holidays. I take one week in the summer and one week at Christmas. None of my families have a problem with this.

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I take off 10 days each year as well, and I do not charge for my vacation. I also am closed between Christmas and New Years. In January my husband and I decide what weeks we are going to take off together and I give them the notice then so they can plan.

No one has ever had any complaints about it as I think my notice is enough in advance for them.

Taking time off for vacation or to rest and recharge is so important for all of us as I think we have one of the hardest jobs out there so do not feel bad one bit.

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I have it in my policy that I can take up to 4 weeks off. I never have taken that much time off but I like to know that I can if needed. My family lives out of state & my DH goes on business trips. If he gets a trip to someplace good (over seas) I want to go. Plus I have a teenager & anyone who is a parent knows that anything can happen with kids. The most I have ever taken off in a year is 2 weeks with a week vac. & a day here & a day there.

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Thanks everyone, usually by the time I've done all my days off it adds up to about 10 days per year, but since we decided to do this other trip it will end up being a little more than that. I do not charge for any vacation time that I take. I do give them months notice unless it's an appointment which doesn't happen often at all it's always at least 3 or more weeks. In August I give my days off for January - May and in about February March I give my June - December dates, so they do get plenty of notice. This trip which will be a week has only been 2 months though, it was very spur of the moment. I mentioned it to one of my parents and she made a comment and said oh wow you're taking 3 days off for spring break then a week for that? then quickly said something to make it sound like she wasn't mad but maybe frustrated, I said sorry but this is a huge year for us and explained why we were doing it, she's been with me for 5 years and knows I don't take alot of time off, which makes me kind of mad because she always is going to appointments gym whatever and leaves him here, I mean come on I have to take time off too. Well that makes me feel better, I will give out the definite notice today. I'm so excited. thanks everyone

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My contract says that I can take two weeks off for vacation paid and have 5 days off for personal/sick time which are also paid. I don't usually take the personal days and if I do it's due to a workshop or something related to the daycare. I still havn't gotten sick to have a sick day so thats great but if I ever do I know I have those days available.

My sister acts as a replacement but if she can't fill in the entire time then the parents usually take their vacations at the same time that I take my vacation.

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I don't have in my contract how many days I plan to take off just that any days I take off will be given at least 2 weeks notice and they are unpaid. I have not called in sick for about 6 or 7 years and I've only had to do it once. I just don't want to be taking off too much, I don't have a limit to how many days or weeks my clients take off either and they do not pay me for any time they take either unless they don't give me a 2 week notice but some of my families take off 3 -4 weeks per year, I'm fine with this though, most people don't get that much. I just dont' want someone to say wow she takes off way too much time I need to find someone else.

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I have written in my contract, I can take up to 10 days vac. I never take that many in a yr. though. These are paid as well as paid Holidays.

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I have in my policy that I can take up to 3 weeks off and I plan to take all 3 of them! I also have 5 personal/sick days for a potential total of 4 weeks. This is what I had when I was working outside the home and that's what I wanted to keep. My vacation days are not paid but my personal days are. My family lives out of state as well and the weekend is just not long enough for an out of state visit.

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Wow that's great, I wish I got paid for vacations or personal days but I myself just can't justify it, I didn't like it when my kids were in daycare and I had to pay my daycare provider for her vacation then on top of that pay someone else for that week, it's great if you have family to watch them but I didn't and know none of my families do either so I just can't do it, wish I could. I do get paid for the 6 major holidays if they fall during their scheduled days.

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You should try to find another provider in your area or even a college student studying in the daycare field to get aquanted with. My sister is only 18 and wants to be a preschool or kinder teacher so it's good practice and service hours for her but I had other people that worked as nannies and such tell me to keep them in mind. I'd much rather go on vacation and leave someone behind to take over for me when I go. I hate to inconvenience my clients in this way. Just make sure that they're CPR certified and have whatever your license and/or regulations require.

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I tell parents during our interview that it's one of the parts of choosing a family home daycare - that when I close, finding back-up care is their responsibility - I do not arrange back-up care.
I close for max. 4 weeks each year - none of which is paid - two weeks at Christmas, one week over the summer, and the last week broken into days here-and-there. All of my clients get my annual calendar in January, so they have plenty of time to make back-up arrangements.
I've never had a family that has had issue with the amount of time that I take off - nor having to find their own back-up...but again, I make my time-off policies crystal clear during interviews

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I have in my contract also that it is their responsibility to find back up care. I just don't provide it because for one when my kids were in daycare I didn't really know her back up, never met her, it was another provider so I didn't feel comfortable with my kids going some where I didn't really know and that's how I feel with my own daycare, I've talked with most of my families about my reasoning and they totally wouldn't use a back up they didn't know. I did give them the days off for summer and they all were fine with it so i'm glad, I pretty much knew all of them would be except one but she didn't say anything so she must be ok. I added it all up and it all totaled 12 days for the whole year.

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I always tell everyone, I have great back up names of friends that are in my daycare group, if they need them. They can decide whether they will have family do it, or if they would like to meet anyone else for fillin.

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